$3 Mac App Saves Laptops From Marauding Cats

If you've ever watched helplessly as your cat sprawls across your keyboard mid-email, help has finally arrived.

Developer Todd Alexander just released Cats Lock, a $3 Mac app that solves one of pet ownership's most relatable tech problems. One click from your menu bar (or a quick keyboard shortcut) locks your entire keyboard, blocking all typing when cats decide your laptop is their new bed.

The app does exactly what its name suggests, but Alexander added thoughtful touches that make it genuinely useful. Users can choose from deterrent sounds that alert you when paws hit keys, or even record their own warnings.

For those in video calls or watching content, Stealth Mode runs without visual overlays or sounds. The keyboard stays protected, but your screen stays clear and quiet.

The app automatically unlocks when your screen goes to sleep, so you won't return to a locked keyboard hours later. It works on any Mac running macOS 14.0 Sonoma or later.

Sunny's Take

There's something wonderful about a developer who sees a silly everyday problem and actually fixes it. Millions of cat owners have resigned themselves to random Zoom messages, accidentally deleted documents, and mysterious browser tabs opened at 3 AM.

Alexander's solution feels both absurdly specific and universally needed. It's the kind of small innovation that makes daily life just a bit easier, acknowledging that our pets are family members who happen to have zero respect for personal workspace boundaries.

The app hit the store this weekend and is already resonating with laptop owners tired of explaining to colleagues why their cat just sent fifteen question marks in the chat.

Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest ones, especially when they help us coexist more peacefully with the furry chaos agents we love.